Engine-starter.



P) M. LINCOLN.

7 ENGINE sTAmiR. -APucATlon man MAR. 24. m 1

; 1,280, 77 6; Patented 00w. 8, 191.8

wn-ussszs I mvzm'on UNITED STATES PATENT ornrcn PAUL M. LINCOLN, OFPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENGINE-STARTER.

llIy invention relates to starting devicw 1 for explosive engines, andparticularly an electric motor starter; its primary object being toemploy an electric motor for making the initial turns of the engineshaft,

whereupon the active motion of the engine shaft releases the connection,the invention having the specific object of rendering such devices moreaccurate and economical in operation. I have illustrated an embodimentof my invention in the accompanying drawing, which is a partialsideelevation and partial section with diagrams and electricconnections.

As shown in the drawing, I attach to the motor 1, an extended casing 2into which projects the engine shaft 8 carrying the worm gear8 andWhich/also carries an extension bdxing 3, in which are the bearings 4 ofaneirtension of the motor shaft 5. This extension is inthe shape of ahollow square shaft 6, mounted upon which is a sliding worm gear 7intermittently engaging the gear 8' on the explosive engine shaft. Itwill be apparent that when the motor is turning its shaft including thesquare extension 6, and the worm is in engagement with the worm gear 8,the worm 7 will revolve the eiigine shaft, in the direction as marked bythe arrow, and when an explosion occurs in the engine and the shaft 8 ofengagement position of the gear 7 I place a spiral buifer spring 9 toprevent hammering of theparts, when on account bf the expansion of acompressed and non 50. exploding charge in the engine cylinder the gear8 may cause the worm 7 to be tem-- porarily thrown to the left withouttotally disengaging same. Within the square shaft 6, I also place a coilcompression spring 12,

Patented Oct. 8, 119186 i Application filed March 24, 1914. Serial No.826,903.

which normally holds the worm 7 in disengaged position to the left. Bymeans of flattened pin ll, extending through. sic" in the shaftti, theworin 7 is attached to slidlug extension 10 which at its out r endcarries a solenoid plunger 13, worl-nn a dashpot barrel l and formingthe coreof the electromagnet 15. This solenoid operates to push theshaft 10 and gear 7 to the right as now shown, by the closing of theswitch 17 on the contact 18, thereby putting the battery 16 in circuitwith the motor leads 21, 22, and the leads to the solenoid. 15.

It will be noted therefore that in the original starting of the motor,the circuit contains the resistance of coil 15 and this coil preferablyhas high resistance, so as to keep down the flow of the current throughthe motor 1 and causes it to start compare-- tively' slowly, thesolenoid absorbing rnost of the energy in moving the plunger to the.

within only enough power to turn it and move the worm 7. After theengagement of the worm with. wheel 8 however, and in the workingposition of the parts, the solenoid is no longer of any use, andmeantime the motor is called upon for much heavier work. With this inview I short-circuit the solenoid coil proper position, thus connectingthe con tacts 24, 24?. respectively connected to the leads of thesolenoid. It is evident that this contact cannot he made until worm 7 isen'- tirely engaged. with gear wheel 8.

Of course the starting of the engine will throw out the worm 7; but evenif the switch 17 is still depressed, the motor is takingv a reducedcurrent from the battery and on ac count of this reduction in currentthe solenoid will, not be strong enough to, push the worm back intomesh. The counter-electromotive forceof the {now running motor will keepdown the current {and it will be understood that I intend the solenoid15 to be so designed as not to actuate the worm with such reducedcurrent. The spring. 19 attached to the switch 17, is adjustable by aenough to form an air dashpot, to prevent too sudden movements of theplunger and worm 7 in either direction, and of course the spring 12normally keeps the worm out of engagement. The various advantages ofthis arrangement'will beR-ipparent to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimis: I

1. An explosive-engine starter comprising the combination with a gearmembenon the engine shaft, of an electric motor having a sliding gearmember on its shaft, a solenoid having its core also on the shaft and incircuit with the motor and a battery and adapted to move said slidinggear member into temporary engagement with said gear, cushioning meansfor said sliding gear 1nemberand resilient means for holding it normallyin its out-of-mesh position.

2. In a starting device for an explosive engine, the combination with agear member on the engine shaft, of an electric motor provided with agear member on its shaft that is movable longitudinally into and out ofmesh with the en inc-shaft gear member, a solenoid in circuit with theelectric motor and having acore that is movable to effect temporaryengagement of said gear members, cushioning means for said movable gearmember and a switch for simultaneouslyclosing the solenoid and the motorcircuits, substantially as described.

3. An engine starter comprising a motor and a shaft and gearing adaptedto temporarily engage and rotate the engine shaft, a supplemental shaftsliding in, but turning with, the motor shaft, a solenoid having itscore attached to said supplemental shaft, an electric circuit and aswitch adapted to first make the circuit through the solenoid coil ,andthe motor windings and a switch adapted to afterward short-circuit thesolenoid, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. An engine starter. comprising a motor and means for effecting atemporary operative connection whereby the motor first turns the engineshaft and is disconnected therefrom when the engine becomesself-operating, a bufi'er spring for receiving the impact of a movablemember of said means as it moves into operative position, a spring forholding said member normally in a nonoperative position, an operatingsolenoid and means for checking the movements of the solenoid core,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presenceofthe two subscribed witnesses.

PAUL M. LIN GOLN.

Vitnesses:

FnnnK. STAUB, Jo. BAILY BROWN.

